The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Paladin1dcs]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

No, it made sense. John had already shut down Ramree. It no longer posed a near-term threat. So he orchestrated a combined strike at Akyab in an effort to shut it down and take control of that area. He failed, but not by all that much.

Considering the information that Cribtop mentioned about Akyab being a supporting base for Ramree, I can see that but I guess I just can't shake the idea that the strike should have been against Ramree instead of Akyab. I'm not saying that Akyab shouldn't have been supressed with sweeps and LBA attacks against the airfield, just that I think Ramree should have been pulverized much, much more before moving up to Akyab.

As you mentioned, Ramree was shut down briefly, but you were able to quickly bring it back on line. I think it would have been a better use of the bombardment TF to attempt to damage your ENG units at Ramree, as well as the airstrip, so as to further complicate your repair efforts.

Anyway, I'll slip back into lurker mode and continue to observe. I'm actually learning quite a bit from this AAR, unfortunately it's mostly that I haven't got a clue as to what I'm doing in my own operations and that there's more to an operation than "HULK SMASH" for the Allies.

[Canoerebel]

No, I've got to use the P-38F on CAP. In effect this is an offensive mission. Akyab is the key to everything and John has to shut it down. He has to. All other missions for my aircraft pale in comparison to protecting Akyab. I've got to keep it open and my prior experience with the Tojo is that only the P-39F, P-40K, and to a lesser extent the Hurricane can hold their own.

This is the Guadalcanal of the war. I've got to win it. Burma '43 will have to look after itself, but it'll be far, far worse if the Allies lose Akyab '42.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Paladin1dcs

Considering the information that Cribtop mentioned about Akyab being a supporting base for Ramree, I can see that but I guess I just can't shake the idea that the strike should have been against Ramree instead of Akyab. I'm not saying that Akyab shouldn't have been supressed with sweeps and LBA attacks against the airfield, just that I think Ramree should have been pulverized much, much more before moving up to Akyab.

As you mentioned, Ramree was shut down briefly, but you were able to quickly bring it back on line. I think it would have been a better use of the bombardment TF to attempt to damage your ENG units at Ramree, as well as the airstrip, so as to further complicate your repair efforts.

Anyway, I'll slip back into lurker mode and continue to observe. I'm actually learning quite a bit from this AAR, unfortunately it's mostly that I haven't got a clue as to what I'm doing in my own operations and that there's more to an operation than "HULK SMASH" for the Allies.

Paladin, I think you've hopelessly confused yourself at this point. John had already shut down Ramree. It was incapable of offensive operations. So he rightly then turned all of his attention to Akyab. I think you've gotten bases and situations kind of mixed up and muddle (and who can blame you - keeping up with such a massive AAR would be near impossible). In order for you to reset your mind and get a clear picture, you'd probably need to go back to about the 9/1/42 turn and read forward.

[JocMeister]

Well, if you have to you have to! But considering doing LRCAP with them from Chittagong instead. With SR3 you don´t want them to get stuck damaged on the field. From Chittagong you can at least rail them out if needed. Getting them blasted on the runway at Akyab would certainly be depressing! [:)]

[Paladin1dcs]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

ORIGINAL: Paladin1dcs

Considering the information that Cribtop mentioned about Akyab being a supporting base for Ramree, I can see that but I guess I just can't shake the idea that the strike should have been against Ramree instead of Akyab. I'm not saying that Akyab shouldn't have been supressed with sweeps and LBA attacks against the airfield, just that I think Ramree should have been pulverized much, much more before moving up to Akyab.

As you mentioned, Ramree was shut down briefly, but you were able to quickly bring it back on line. I think it would have been a better use of the bombardment TF to attempt to damage your ENG units at Ramree, as well as the airstrip, so as to further complicate your repair efforts.

Anyway, I'll slip back into lurker mode and continue to observe. I'm actually learning quite a bit from this AAR, unfortunately it's mostly that I haven't got a clue as to what I'm doing in my own operations and that there's more to an operation than "HULK SMASH" for the Allies.

Paladin, I think you've hopelessly confused yourself at this point. John had already shut down Ramree. It was incapable of offensive operations. So he rightly then turned all of his attention to Akyab. I think you've gotten bases and situations kind of mixed up and muddle (and who can blame you - keeping up with such a massive AAR would be near impossible). In order for you to reset your mind and get a clear picture, you'd probably need to go back to about the 9/1/42 turn and read forward.

Then back in time I go. Be back later to further confuse myself and others if possible. [:D]

[Canoerebel]

9/19/42

Bay of Bengal: No enemy combat vessels sighted. Modest Tojo sweeps vs. Akyab - each side loses about the same number of fighters. The encouraging thing is that the number of Tojos in the two groups were small. The first damaged combat vessels - including lightly damaged Achilles - reach Colombo, which has about 50 fighters providing cover. More - including Devonshire, Boise, Helena and Revenge are enroute. The Chinese now have four fighter squadrons in India, with a fifth (this one flying the old AVG fighters) coming. A USN fighter squadron is unloaded at Bombay. This unit flies the F3F. I don't know how that will stand up to the Tojo, but it's nice to have 26 more fighters in theater. I will swap out for the F4F after the invasion over in SWPac is complete.

Burma: One of the Aussie divisions leaves its hex and joins in the shock attack against 4th IJA Div., destroying 142 squads, mostly combat. The remaining Aussie division, left alone in the enemy hex for just one day, suffers the misfortune of John ordering a shock attack that very day. The Aussies lose 74 combat squads and 170 non-combat squads. John is focusing most of his airforce on the Allied units beating up on 4th Div.

China: An IJ shock attack at Chengteh fails, with the Japanese losing 143 combat squads to 11 for the Chinese.

NoPac: I'm moving a SeaBee unit to a second dot hex west of Kodiak. A USN sub stumbled across an IJ troop transport approaching Wake Island and does a bit of damage with gunnery. I'm hoping that chance encounter might mean something to John after the DD Blue incident north of Midway a week or so back.

CenPac: The two USN carriers will be ready to sail tomorrow. That delay glitch cost about eight days, but that probably didn't matter since I need that time to get the troop transports lined up.

SoPac: Said line of troop transports continues to make it's way to and past Dunedin without apparent incident. The first of the troop transports will arrive at Hobart in a day or two. Most of the lead transports will come to Hobart (I might have to use Sydney also in order to get enough supply loaded). The trailing transports will report to Wellington, as they can then "cut the corner," joining the invasion armada somewhere off Brisbane. John is reconning Norfolk Island every day. I'm wondering if he's planning a snap invasion to establish a forward patrol post. I'd rather he not short term, but I don't want to react in a way that would alert him.

SWPac: It's going to be really hard to assemble the invasion armada without getting sighted or somehow triggering John's spidey senses. If all the ships make their staging ports (Hobart and Wellington being the two main ones) without incident, that would be remarkable. If they then make it as far as Brisbane without detection, that would be "icing on the cake" territory. I'll go into more detail later, but the primary objectives are Port Moresby, Merauke, Horn Island, Gove, Sale Island, Terapo and a few other small places in and near the Gulf of Carpenteria. The secondary objective (which will become primary if I scrub number one) will be New Caledonia. Tertiary objectives - to be triggered only if everything has gone so smoothly that the Allies have to go further - will be Milne Bay and the islands offshore. The primary purpose of this move is to open a second air and sea war front to compliment the hot action in Burma.

[JeffroK]

Very interesting about opening a second air front, I would have thought JIII would have done this with his reasonably large pool of aircraft.

Make sure you have the numbers to succeed.

(I still thought you were headed to the Kuriles, just taking the long way!!!)

[AcePylut]

Well I guessed the secondary objective

[JeffroK]

He hasnt landed yet, in earlier adventures CR has always shown his ability to make changes to suit the conditions.

Planning for the Torres Straight means anywhere south of Truk and East of Soerbaja is under threat!

[obvert]

Your primary objectives would put A LOT of pressure on him.

What is your own position for gathering info on the movements of KB/surface forces that may roll in if you're detected? Do you have a sub line or two in the Solomons/Bismark seas area? What is your closest patrol base to the area for the Cats to operate? If you still own any dots in the area like one of the Santa Cruz, Elice or even a Gilbert dot, might be interesting to throw a sacrificed Cat fragment in with a little supply a day or two before you're in critical position. See what you can see.

[Canoerebel]

9/20/42

Bay of Bengal: No enemy carriers or combat ships. Lots of subs around Ceylon taking shots at my damaged DDs but missing. Achilles upgrade at Colombo will take 40 days (ouch!). Revenge is about to make the hazardous run around Ceylon to Colombo. Royal Sovereign will depart Chittagong tonight. To this point, John hasn't attrited the stream of damaged ships, but my luck can't hold long (hey, though, I think ASW got one of his lurking subs).

Burma: The "true" Allied force (UK, OZ, USA units) take another whack at 4th Div., destroying 147 combat squads. This unit has lost 250+ combat squads over the past five days or so. According to my tally, each side has had one division suffer moderate damage (6th Oz and 18th IJA) with Japan also suffering major to catastrophic losses for: 48th Div., 4th Div., 2nd Tank Div., a tank regiment and an infantry regiment. I'm giving John's bombers free access to my "true" Allies. I'd like to begin providing CAP, but job one has to be protection for Akyab and Chittagong until further notice.

China: I'm debating whether to retire from Chengteh into the better protection of the forests. Not sure yet. The alternative is to stay and continue taking punishment but delaying for a fairly long time John getting the jewel he's been striving for for months now.

CenPac: The final two USN carriers form a TF, accept back their fighter squadrons plus each getting a small USMC Buffalo squadron, and will leave Pearl tonight.

SoPac: All transports have passed Tahiti now and the lead TF reach Hobart and unloaded it's detachment of 1st USMC (thus permitting this unit to resume prep, which is at just 21 (troops don't prep while in strategic mode on transports or off-map boxes). The line of transports hasn't been sighted yet, but there was an "unfortunate incident" near Auckland. An IJN sub claimed an empty AK in a small TF consisting of it and an SC. That's nothing alarming - I'm trying to maintain normal operations so that John doesn't get a feeling that things are "too quiet," but the makeup of that TF is a bit on the unusual side, so John undoubtedly took note.

Deceptions: Lots of little deceptions underway or ready to go: (1) as each Oz port/airfield approaches a new level, I've halted work to prevent "sudden growth" from tipping off John; (2) lots of little TFs have been nosing around - the picket DDs in NoPac, an AM near the Gilberts; a couple of small TFs near Cocos (not sighted, so I'm adding some DDs that will leave Perth tonight); (3) when the time for real feints arrives, two massive TFs will appear in NoPac - one approaching from Midway and the second from south of Kodiak; (4) and another mock invasion force will approach Port Headland from the SW. I think John may be pretty comfortable in NoPac now - he strongly reinforced so he knows he would have time, but I think he's a bit worried about the eastern DEI what with 38th Div. on marus inbound to Koepang.

Patrols and Preps: Obvert, I've had an AVP stationed at a dot hex near Tabituea - supporting an active PBY squadron - since long before John reclaimed Tarawa et al. I haven't seen anything juicy since the KB departed back in July, but there has been a recent flurry of ships at Tabituea - I'm wondering if John might be withdrawing some of his forward garrisons. As for SWPac, I have patrols operating out of Townsville. I don't have any bases in or across the sea. I will make use of Cairns and Cooktown when the time comes, but not until then as I don't want to tip off John. I have a fair number of subs operating in the Solomon Sea (9 at the moment) and two in or near Torres Straights. These have been in place for months and don't seem to be incurring any detection. One of them got an xAK a few weeks back, meaning that John knows I routinely have subs in this area. SigInt and base-building intel reveal little to know enemy activity in the targeted region. Absolutely zero from SigInt. On the basebuildign side, Port Moresby airfield went to level five a few weeks ago and Horn Island airfield went to level two a few days ago. I know PM has 144th Regiment. I don't think Horn Island, Terapo, or Merauke have a great deal. The Allies are bringing ALOT, though. More about that later.

[Canoerebel]

Another small example of the planning that goes into an operation like this: Australia command HQ - with a radius of nine - will report to Cooktown (nine hexes from Port Moresby) just before D-Day. The unit is 73% prepped for PM. The unit is currently in the jungle one hex south of Cooktown - stopped short so that any chance Japanese recon or bombing mission against Cooktown (there hasn't been a single one during the game, but who knows when John starts?) doesn't note the presence of such a "tipping off my hand" unit.

[obvert]

Wow. That AVP/Cat station is priceless! Great location.

About China, as a Japanese player I LOVE it when the Allies withdraw without a fight. Stay and make him kick you out, especially with John's penchant for poorly timed shocks. It's not like you need more Chinese to feed anyway. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

The roster of major units:

(A) Primary Targets

(A1) Port Moresby - 1st Marine Div., 159 RCT, 112 Cav, 8 Oz Bde., 6th Oz Cav, 627 Tank Destroyer, 763 Tank, 34 Combat Eng., 2 Marine Raider, 193 Tank, 2 Marine 'Chutes, Oz Command HQ, I Oz Corps, VII Fighter HQ, 35 Base Force, 119 BF, 220 USN BF, 10 CB, 804 EAB.

(A2) Merauke - 27 USA Div, 21 RCT, 129 RCT, 145 RCT, 148 RCT, 102 Combat Eng., 2 USMC Tanks, 632 Tank Destroyer, G/H Battery, 1st Mar. CD, 3rd Mar. CD, 3 CB, 7 USAAF HQ, 221 USN BF, 175 BF.

(A3) Horn Island - 22 Marines, 58 RCT, 15 CB, 8 CB, 5th Mar. CD, 2 EAB, 176 BF, 140 BF, 118 BF, VII Bomber HQ.

(A4) Terapo - Kanga Paratroops, 23 Marine, 53 RCT, 762 Tanks, 138 BF, 134 BF, 813 EAB.

(A5) Gove Island - 19 RCT, 139 BF, 110 BF

(A6) Grute Eylant - 115 BF, 14 CB

B. Secondary Targets

(B1) Noumea - 4 Oz Div., Oz brigades (5, 4, 10, 15), NZ brigades (11, 14), 3 RNZAF BF, 3 NZ HQ, 2 CB

(B2) Efate - 1 Oz Div.

(B3) Koumac - 12 Oz Bde.

(B4) La Foa - N Force Detachment

(B5) Tanna - 7 NZ Bde.

C. Tertiary Targets

(C1) Milne Bay - 32 USA Div., 132 RCT, II Oz Corp. HQ, SWPac Command HQ

(C2) Deboyne - 21 Marines

(C3) Woodlark - 164 RCT

(C4) Tagula - 182 RCT, 9 Marines, 3 Marines



The tertiary targets lack engineers and base forces, but I can attend to that as needed. Prep for the secondary and tertiary targets is very high - uniformly 100%. Prep for the primary targets is mostly low as the American units had prepped switched from NoPac targets and then spent the next four weeks or so on ships.

[Lecivius]

Nothing to add, just enjoying reading of a good game, watching a great PBEM RA match since I played this mod to 1945 against AI, and keeping the post count here high just to drive J3 crazy & keep GJ in his place [:D]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: obvert
About China, as a Japanese player I LOVE it when the Allies withdraw without a fight.

Shhh! [:-]

[JocMeister]

About China.

As an Allied player: No point in staying when you have Zero/Zilch/Nichts supply either and your 1000AV suddenly is worth 200 and you KNOW your are going to suffer 25000 casualties for 102 Jap ones?

[Canoerebel]

The question at Chengteh is far more complicated than that:

Withdraw and I can fight better in the woods. I save umpteen zillion casualties that I'll suffer if forced to retreat. But giving John Chengteh allows him to then identify and move on a new target. I can probably hold Chengteh for several more months by rotating units in and out (especially since John's stack just suffered a hurtful shock attack failure). John has committed signficant bomber assets to Chengteh - far better there than in Burma. Also, never underestimate the effect of morale on a player, like John, who is both unusually aggressive and prone to playing with a rarely-equalled "exhuberance."

So I'm likely to stay and fight.

[Canoerebel]

Note to Readers: This is a "paperwork entry." Please ignore.

Lift Capacity Available for the Upcoming Operations:

1. AP - 39 x 8; 45 x 5; 19 x 1; 35 x 4; 28 x 1; 38 x 1. Total Ships = 19. Total Capacity = 76,000

2. xAP - 38 x 9, 21 x 2; 33 x 2; 42 x 3; 43 x 2; 37 x 2; 31 x 6; 32 x 8; 41 x 5; 55 x 5; 58 x 1; 39 x 2; 34 x 2; 45 x 1; 49 x 1; 48 x 3; 65 x 2; 44 x 2; 42 x 4; 46 x 1; 22 x 2; 100 x 1; 80 x 1; 30 x 4. Ships = 71. Capcity = 249,200.

3. AK - 62 x 10; 61 x 1. Ships = 11. Capacity = 68,100

4. xAK - 64 x 18; 29 x 1; 32 x 19; 48 x 10; 45 x 6; 49 x 4; 55 x 10; 58 x 2; 39 x 8; 41 x 12; 62 x 3; 52 x 1; 67 x 2; 39 x 7; 81 x 3. Ships = 105. Capacity = 509,300

5. Misc - APD x 1; AG x 4; AMC x 1

[Canoerebel]

The heck with Tracker and pilot training and all the other record keeping stuff in the game. What I really need is an aide de camp that can figure out for me how many troops I can reasonably load on the available shipping while prioritizing according to mein own priorities. Now that would be a tool I would use!